on freedom of choice & the "you're gonna die" mentality ...

[seaphilia]

I found an interesting CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) report comparing ATV riding, SCUBA diving, rock climbing, and skiing and comparing the risk of injury.

Abstract: The goal of this project was to compare possible risk factors associated with selected High Adventure Recreational Activities and create possible risk mitigation strategies from these comparisons. Our research involved gathering information on risk management, injury statistics, and participant behavior trends. The final result was recommendations to CPSC about potential risk mitigation strategies and possible improvements to their methods of collecting and analyzing nationwide injury data.

For those who want to wade thru it
http://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/E-project/Avail ... T_CPSC.pdf

Scuba was the safest of the four and the report contributed it to the training we all receive. Here are their estimates from 2003. <Disclaimer> I am not saying that all training is great. Just relaying what is in the report<Disclaimer>

Percent Injured*
ATV 1.77%-2.58%
Skiing 0.18%-1.32%
SCUBA 0.03%-0.12%
Rock Climbing 0.09%-0.22%

[CaptnJack]

file not found :(

[spatman]

For those who want to wade thru it

LINK

[Penopolypants]

Percent Injured*
ATV 1.77%-2.58%
Skiing 0.18%-1.32%
SCUBA 0.03%-0.12%
Rock Climbing 0.09%-0.22%

I can't speak for rock climbing, but at least two of these are not like the other in a critical way. Only once have I seen a person have a beer and go diving, but lots of people drink and go skiing, or ride an ATV.

[gutholmj]

I say people have Not dove with me because of Hearing about Me from 2nd hand divers..Yes I am a screw Ball, and i have a sense of Humour most people dnt Get, and Ive heard comments about me and my diving which is un true.. ( I think it pretty funny , and Just Laugh it off )
I feel if I do get more trained and get more certs , to do deep dives, Tec dives, etc.. etc.. I would still be Me.. I do take risks , but would never do them with a diver I dont know and dont feel comfortable with ...
I would never screw off underwater on a deep dive or a tech dive, its too risky, and not safe.. Im just not a fit for some divers and thats ok with me..
so i say learn , dive, enjoy
My 2 psi

Not having so much history around here but having dove with you, I was actually surprised to read this. Yes you are shall I say "entertaining" to dive with. I also think you are a safe and contentious diver. The most important aspect of this is that you are very clear up front about your plan for the dive, etc. I'll dive with you any time Doc.

[Grateful Diver]

Not having so much history around here but having dove with you, I was actually surprised to read this. Yes you are shall I say "entertaining" to dive with. I also think you are a safe and contentious diver. The most important aspect of this is that you are very clear up front about your plan for the dive, etc. I'll dive with you any time Doc.

Nah ... Doc's only contentious on the internet ... and even then I don't think he's doing it on purpose ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[seaphilia]

I can't speak for rock climbing, but at least two of these are not like the other in a critical way. Only once have I seen a person have a beer and go diving, but lots of people drink and go skiing, or ride an ATV.

The commonality is that all are activities that people continue to do in an unsafe manner when there is a known risk of being seriously injured or killed.

My sister lets her kids ride around all day, helmetless on an ATV, but she shudders when they want to learn scuba diving.

Nah ... Doc's only contentious on the internet ... and even then I don't think he's doing it on purpose ...

I ain't naming no names, but he ain't the only one :-)

[LCF]

One of the big differences between scuba and rock climbing or ATV riding is the spectrum of injuries. It is quite possible to get injured slightly in all three, but serious injuries in scuba are likely to be fatalities, whereas broken bones and concussions are much more common in the others. (Although I've managed, in the course of diving, to break a bone, and so has Mattley -- but not underwater!)

[seaphilia]

Agreed.

The report included barotrauma injuries, otherwise the injury rate would be much lower.

[Mongo]

I thought divers were supposed to drink before diving

[limeyx]

I thought divers were supposed to drink before diving

One Martini for every 33 feet deep we dive, right ?
I think there was something about that in my Open Water class.

[Norris]

Stolen from another thread....

A shot of Whiskey and a cool refreshing smoke....

[Dashrynn]

Not having so much history around here but having dove with you, I was actually surprised to read this. Yes you are shall I say "entertaining" to dive with. I also think you are a safe and contentious diver. The most important aspect of this is that you are very clear up front about your plan for the dive, etc. I'll dive with you any time Doc.

Nah ... Doc's only contentious on the internet ... and even then I don't think he's doing it on purpose ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

With doc its all subconsciously done, no thinking necessary. When I first met him though he had a pair of fake teeth that look strangle familiar to sounder, so I though to myself"Omg what have I gotten myself into,this should be interesting" but turns out he's more cautious than even I.

Last dive we did he checked my air gauges halfway through the dive, I was like Erg doc I thought we were past this point, so in turn I checked his just to be a smart Ass lol.

[Kirby]

Translation: if you can drink 6 Martini's and drive home safely, its ok to dive to 198 ft on air? 7 = 231 and etc?
I like where this is going.

Kirby

[Blaiz]

With doc its all subconsciously done, no thinking necessary. .

speaking of sig lines....

[limeyx]

Translation: if you can drink 6 Martini's and drive home safely, its ok to dive to 198 ft on air? 7 = 231 and etc?
I like where this is going.

Kirby

What I want to know then is can I drink 3 'tinis and still dive to 99 feet ?

[spudgunman]

yes you can, just remember to always puke hiccup and sneeze with the regulator in your mouth. Should you feel that your going to loose your regulator during a puke or hiccup bite down on the included mouth adapter. just remember if you get narke'd while drunk there is a likely chance that the leprechauns will find you where you dont want to be.

[whatevah]

There are two very good books that might give some interesting insights on "why" we do what we do, and might shed insight for some folks about why so many different people approach diving (and everything else) from such different perspectives:
Brain Rules, J. Medina
Deep Survival, J. Gonzales *this one especially is interesting for us semi-adrenaline-junky types

Thanks for the pointers - got 'em on my wish list at Amazon. I've got a book that's nearing the top of my "to read" stack - "Surviving the Extremes" by Kenneth Kamler MD - might be very similar to the two you mentioned. Might want to check it out if you haven't already.